Flying Without Fear
by Aurorica
Summary: The good doctor knows that sometimes the best medicine is just a little bit of reassurance when it's needed most. Rex/Holiday fluff. Just a scene I've had floating around in my head every time I listen to "Flying without Fear."


A/N:  
>Inspired by Orange's "Flying Without Fear" on their album <em>Escape from L.A.<em>

Also inspired by my own parents, as they have been nothing but the supportive and loving Mom and Dad that I love, especially in my times of stress, worry, and everyday BS. Thanks, guys.

"He's been looking... depressed... for most of the day," he said quietly to her. The doctor continued to observe the boy sitting hunched over on the ledge of the building, legs hanging over the edge. From a distance, the setting sun turned him into a deep red silhouette against the bright golds and yellows of the evening. "I figured _you_ could handle this better than I could," he whispered from behind the cracked door. The doctor and the agent could guess all too well what was running through Rex's head, but the doctor decided to find out anyway.

"Alright, I'll go out there," she told him as she straightened her lab coat and pushed the bulky emergency exit door open, leaving the agent to watch from behind the door.

Heels clicking loudly across the cement roof, she reached a place next to Rex on the ledge of the building.

"Hey, Doc," he responded uninterested, barely even turning to look at her. Hoisting herself up, she sat with one curled leg in front of her on the ledge, the other foot just barely gracing the top of the roof. Her torso faced him, and she studied his face as the setting sun let it up, the goggles dangling around his neck reflecting light every which way.

As the uncomfortable seconds passed, Rex stole a glance at the doctor before asking rather bluntly, "Ugh, what is it, Doc? There an EVO attack or something? Otherwise..." his words trailed off and his eyes drifted down to his hands, laying palms-up in his lap.

"Well," she responded, "are you going to tell me what's bothering you or do I have to get Six to beat it out of you."

For half a moment, Rex felt taken aback by her tone of voice. She sounded annoyed, and when she was annoyed, it was never any good news for him. So for now, he humored her and answered her question truthfully, "I just can't stop thinking about... about what Van Kleiss told me. About my brother," he glanced briefly to the doctor before continuing, "Could he really have... been the _cause_?" Rex went back to staring hard at his hands lying limp in his lap, as though they held the answers his memory couldn't remember.

By this point, the doctor had had enough of seeing him in this state – this solemn and down on himself. She reached her hand around, placed it on his opposite cheek, and forced him to look in her eyes and said–

"Rex, even when you first sprouted wings and started flying around the place – like a maniac, I might add – you never seemed to show _any_ fear. You believed in your abilities. Not your _powers_, but your ability to hand the situation. Nothing could bring you down, nothing could bar your way. So what makes you think Six and I believe any less in you?" Rex couldn't help but feel the corners of his lips pull up just a bit. "But we all fall, Rex. Even me, even Six. We're not invincible, which is why we surround ourselves with the people who matter most, and who will be there to catch you should you fall – just like any other person. Six and I will not – I repeat – _will not_ let anything happen to you."

The teenager lowered his head as his smile widened and his cheeks flushed red for just a moment. Tilting his chin back up to face her, she continued, "We're still keeping very close watch on your brother. We're just as worried about what Van Kleiss told you as you are."

Releasing him from her gaze, Holiday patted the boy's shoulder comfortingly before slipping off the edge and back on to the solid ground of the rooftop. Rex went back to gazing at the sunset as Holiday made her way back to the rooftop exit. But as he noticed her footsteps stop and begin to get closer to him again, he turned his head to see her arms wrap around his shoulders and over his torso, clutching him close to her chest.

"Like I said, we're always here to catch you when you fall, Rex," with that, she gave him a kiss on his temple, unraveled her arms, and promptly left through the roof exit.

He watched the rooftop door close behind the doctor, and with that he stood up on the ledge and looked over the edge of the highest point of Providence HQ. He could see for miles across the desert in every direction, and down below into the dark canyon that the massive base balanced upon as he contemplated his next move.

"Flying without fear was easy, Doc," he mumbled to no one, but with more confidence he stated to himself, "Guess I shouldn't take any moments with you guys for granted... You matter most."

With that, he moved his goggles back to their functioning position over his eyes, adjusting them so. Filling his lungs with fear, he exhaled and leapt as far as he could from the edge, arms wide out before him. As he gained speed on his descent, he commanded his nanites to give him flight once more, and up he flew, spinning and twisting about.

All the while, the doctor and the agent watched from the crack in the open door, and both sighed with confidence knowing that together, the three of them would be alright in the end.

**End.**


End file.
